Health officials in the United States have officially confirmed that the majority of individuals will retain their access to Pfizer's Paxlovid and Merck's Lagevrio, both oral antiviral treatments for COVID-19, at minimal or no cost. This accessibility will persist even as the responsibility for distributing these treatments shifts from the government to the commercial market, a transition set to commence next month.
Up to this point, the government has overseen the distribution of these treatments, alongside vaccines and tests. However, it is now in the process of transferring this responsibility to traditional commercial channels, with commercial ordering for these treatments scheduled to commence on November 1.
In the case of Paxlovid, the U.S. government had previously covered the cost of approximately $530 per course, making it readily available to the public free of charge. However, Pfizer recently announced that the price for Paxlovid would be nearly $1,400 per course, prior to accounting for any rebates and discounts offered to insurers and pharmacy benefit managers.
A representative from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) emphasized that the launch of these products on November 1 will not result in abrupt changes. This is because a substantial supply of federally-owned therapeutic courses remains in circulation, numbering in the millions. As a result, most individuals requiring therapeutic treatments will still be able to obtain them at a low cost or even for free, both during the transition period and after the transition to the commercial market.
Providers will have the option to order federally-supplied Lagevrio until November 10 and Paxlovid until December 15, as explained by the official. The government strongly encourages providers to continue dispensing the federally-owned supply they possess at no cost until it either expires or is exhausted.
An agreement with Pfizer will facilitate the return of 7.9 million treatment courses. The credits obtained from these returned doses will support a program that ensures Paxlovid remains accessible free of charge to patients covered by the Medicare and Medicaid programs until the end of 2024, and to uninsured and underinsured patients until 2028, according to the official.
The process of returns will initiate on November 15 and will remain open until the end of the year. The government advises that returns commence in December to allow sufficient time for the establishment of patient assistance programs and the procurement of commercially-labeled doses. This initiative is aimed at preserving accessibility to these critical treatments for the most vulnerable populations.
